PAKISTAN
Nestlé has launched a zero waste, tea-based fertilizer initiative in Pakistan to transform tea leaf trash into an asset.
Tea making generates plenty of waste, from the farm to the factory to the thrown away used tea bag.
Waste supply in Pakistan is substantial, with 100 billion cups of tea leaving 200,000 metric tons of used leaves.
Tea waste is packed with the compounds that make for a superior fertilizer: nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus.
The focus initially is on the procurement of tea waste, through collaboration with startups, innovators, waste management companies, and other parties. Tea waste will be composted but Nestlé’s plan goes beyond getting rid of waste by turning it into an economic, social, and environmental asset.
The third stage will “productize and commercialize” the new good, selling it to local farmers as a cost-effective and environmentally-friendly choice. Nestlé expects that it will improve crop yields.